May 1916

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

MAY, 1916.

THE EASTER VESTRY.

THE Easter Vestry was held in Seagoe School on Thursday, April 27th, 1916, at 8 0'clock. The Rector presided. The Financial Statement was made by the Hon. Treasurer, Mr. W. R. Atkinson. The

following appointments were then made :—

CHURCHWARDENS, 1916-17:

Rector's Churchwarden—-Mr. Robert Price, Ballinacor.

People's Churchwarden—Mr. James Sands, Edenderry

Wolsey R. Atkinson.

Thomas J. Atkinson, Major.

Stewart W. Blacker, Lt.-CoI.

George Calvert-

Thomas Dawson.

John G. Oracey.

G. Calvert, T. Dawson, James

Hon. Sec.

Confirmation,

SELECT VESTRY:

Thomas E Maginnis.

Thomas Martin.

Joseph Monroe.

Thomas J. Montgomery.

Joseph Stevenson.

James Twinem.

SIDESMEN :

Twinem, W. Best, W. J. Cox, D. Murray, John Twinem.

and Treasurer—Mr. W. R. Atkinson.

The Lord Bishop of Down has signified his inten-

tion of holding a Confirmation in Seagoe Parish

Church on Sunday, June 25th, 1916, at 3-30 p m.

Confirmation Classes.

Classes for Confirmation will be held at the

following centres :—

Edenderry Parochial Hall—

Boys—Mondays.

Girls—Thursdays.

Seagoe School—Thursdays.

Hacknahay School—Mondays.

Drumgor— Wednesdays.

Carne—Fridays.

All the Classes will begin at 8 p.m.

The Classes commence work in the week beginning

Monday, May 8th.

A punctual attendance of all Candidates is re-

quested,

No one under the age of 14 will he Confirmed.

Candidates are asked to bring Bible and Prayer

Book with them to the Classes.

N.B.—A special Class for Adults will be held

in Seagoe School on Sunday, at 4-15, beginning on

Sunday, May 14th.

Acknowledgment.

We desire to thank contributor, who wishes to re-

main anonymous, for a kind gift of C2 towards our

Sunday School Funds.

Days of War.

Unprecedented events h>lve been occurring in Ire-

land during the past week. The War has come

It was terrible enough to have

almost to our doors.

War in Flanders and France, but we scarcely ex-

pected a Civil War at home. The sight of armoured

engines and trains on the G.N.R., and of motor

lorries laden with our Ulster soldier lads, fully

armed, speeding along the roads in the Parish, made

" in the War Zone." And yet

us feel that we were

while a large part of the rest of Ireland has been

ruthlessly ravaged by war, or shaken by war's

alarms, Ulster has been Province at peace'. The

contrast is significant, and suggests many far-reaching

thoughts. The effect of the revolutionary outbreak

in Dublin and the South must alter materially the

future course of Irish history, and strengthen still

further the commercial and political position of Ulster.

The Choir-

Several new mem bers have been admitted to the

Choir, which now numbers some 26 voices. During

the first Sundays in Lent Stainer's Anthem, " God

so loved ethe world," was sung. The Quartette was

taken by Miss Walker (soprano), Miss M. Wilson (alto),

Mr. David Murray (tenor), and Mr. D. Livingston

(bass).

The Choir is at present engaged in

practising the music for the forthcoming Lurgan

Choral Festival. The singing and music in

Seagoe Church will compare favourably with that

of even the best of our country choirs. All

the four voices, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass,

are now well represented in the Choir, and the

musical part of the Services is well and heartily

rendered. The Congregation also, we are glad to

note, join heartily in the Responses, Canticles, and

Hymns.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

With a Motor at the Front-

Frank Anderson, of Drumgor, a Driver in the

Motor Transport Corps, writes from somewhere in

France," under date March 25th, 1916 ;—

I hope you are all well, as this leaves me in the

best of health at present.

I don't think that there

will be any leave for me for some time ; the leave

has stopped again. I see that the Germans are out

in the North Sea with fifteen of their battleships, so

till they get them shifted out of there the leave will

remain at a standstill. I would not care how soon it

came, for I think it is about my turn now.

1 HAVE HAD MY WHACK

of it. I reckon that I have done my bit, and done it

well.

I was five weeks away from the column here

with my lorry, and I had a very rough time of it,

bringing up ordnance stuffs to the troops. I had

my second and third man with me and a lance-

Corporal, looking after the clothing and boots, and

such like. We had

A HOT TIMn OF IT,

but I got through all right, and got finished on that

job. The Huns have lost some ammunition on

me and my lot, but did not manage to get me. I

have been very lucky. The weather is very cold

here.

1 SLEEP ON THE MOTOR

at nights : the front cushion is what I put down, and

my oil-sheet on top of that, my blanket over me, so I

am like a bug in a rug: as hard as iron, the Major

says sometimes.

BREAKFAST AT FOUR,

sometimes at five, and sometimes any time you feel

ready for it you can eat it.

I came to a farm the other day ; I looked around the

yard to see if there were any eggs. T got 4, and came

away satisfied. I had a nice feed that evening. The

next time I go back there I am going

TO LOOK FOR THE HEN,

so I will have a little soup by the time you get this.

Here is a card from France.

I got a chance to

buy this one the other day. I have not another photo

that I could send,

Hope to hear from you soon.

Nature Notes,

We are glad to find that our nature observers have

been busy again this year in observing the coming of

the summer migrants. Here is the result :—

Swallow first seen on April 2nd by Joseph Monroe

at Leraghery. (This is a very early record for the

Swallow in Seagoe.)

Corncrake first heard on Friday, April 14th, by

David Murray, at Ballinary, Ardmore, and by Wm.

M' Laughlin of Lecaghery on April 16th.

Cuckoo first heard on Monday, April 24th, by

Captain J. J. Dobson, R.I.R., at Seagoe, and by Wm.

J. Calvert, at Ballymacrandle, on April 25th.

Our New Churchwardens.

Mr. Robert Price, of Ballinacor, who was ap-

pointed Rector's Churchwarden, has been prominently

identified with Church work in Seagoe Parish for

many years. He is a native of the Parish of Tar-

taraghan. Mr. Price has worked in many capacities

in the Parish. He has been elected a member of the

Select Vestry on several occasions; has done useful

work as Collector for the sustentation Fund : has

taught class in Carne Sunday chool, and has been

a staunch helper at the Sunday evening Church Ser-

vices in Tamnificarbet Orange Hall since they were

commenced eight years ago.

Mr. James Sands, People's Churchwarden, is

well known and highly esteemed throughout the

Parish. In his capacity as Manager of Messrs. Arm-

strong's Factory, he is especially well known in Eden.

derry. He has done good service to the Church as

Collector for the Sustentation Fund, and as a member

of the Select Vestry. He belongs to a family who

have for many years been connected with Edenderry.

The Parish of Seagoe is to be congratulated on

having in offce this year as Churchwardens two such

loyal Churchmen as Mr. Price and Mr. Sands. We

hope in some future number of the Magazine to pre-

sent our readers with their portraits as a remembrance

of their year of offce.

The Magazine.

If anyone has a difficulty in securing a copy of the

Magazine each month, the Rector would be glad if

they would let him know. The best way to make

sure of copy is to pay the distributor 1/- in advance

at the beginning of the year. Last month we fear

some of our regular customers failed to obtain a copy.

We welcome to our list of advertisers the popular and

well-known firm of Hamilton & Rock. This Magazine

ought to be one of the best advertising mediums in

Portadown and the neighbourhood.

It circulates

widely, and is closely read by 4,000 people each

month or about 50,000 each year. Many readers

outside the Parish would do well to study our

advertising columns and order their goods by post

from Portadown. A noticeable feature of the recent

commercial life of Portadown is the number of

orders executed in the Grocery and Printing lines

for clients in Belfast, and even in London.

Jumble Sale.

The Jumble Sale will be held on Saturday, May

20th, in Edenderry Parochial I-fall from 5 p.m to 6-30

p.m. Admission 2d. All kinds of bargains will be

on sale.

The weird cry of the Screech Owl may be heard

nightly at Seagoe In old days the heavy ivy mantle

on the belfry gable (now fallen) of the old Church,

sheltered for many years a colony of the Stria;

Flammea—Barn or Screech Owl.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Bits from the Front.

Trooper Thomas Robinson, a native of Seagoe

arish, has just retired from the 1st Life Guards, in

hich he served for many years, distinguishing

inåself in the Boer Campaign and in the earlier

tages of this present War. He has gone to reside

n Australia.

Captain J. J. Dobson, 7th Royal Irish Rifles, is at

resent staying at Seagoe Rectory. He is making a

ood recovery from the severe wounds he received at

he front.

Leslie Clench, of the Royal Flying Corps, has been

ere for a holiday. He is stationed at Farnborough,

nd is acting as a wireless operator in the Aviation

t epartment.

Lieut. R. T. Montgomery, 9th Batt. R.I.F., has

een home from the front for few days after seven

onths in France. His many friends in Seagoe and

ortadown were delighted to see him looking so well

nd fit. He returned to France on Friday, May 5th.

Privates Harry Forsythe and J. Gilliland, of the

th Batt., have also been home for a holiday.

ITEMS.

The Rev. W. R. Crichton, M.A., will preach in

eagoe Parish Church on Sunday, May 14th, at

orning and evening prayer.

The White Butterfly was seen for the first time

his year in Seagoe on April 21st.

Many farmers in the Parish are sowing flax this

ear. It ought to be a paying crop.

The sittings of eggs brought home from France by

ne of the 9th Batt. R.I.F. have been hatched out.

The chicks are very hardy, and have five toes on each

foot. They are making themselves quite at home in

Seagoe.

A lorry of soldiers halted in Bachelors' Walk lost

aturday. The residents were delighted to see them,

and tea, cakes and mineral waters were got ready for

them in record time.

We congratulate the composing staff of the Por-

tadown News on their skill in reproducing the Floor-

plan of Old Seagoe Church correctly to scale, as it

appears in our Old Seagoe Notes in this issue of

the Magazine.

The words " Sinn Fein," now so often heard, are

two Celtic words, Sinn (pronounced " Shin") meaning

" we," the 1st Personal Pronoun plural, and Féin

(pronounced " Fain") meaning self" or " own.

The expression " we ourselves" is of course another

Way of saying " Ireland for the Irish."

Several visitors here from Dublin for the Easter

holidays have been unable to return to their homes

wing to the Sinn Fein outbreak.

The Palestine Exhibition will be held in Lurgan

from May 8th to 13th. Many of our Seagoe people

visited it when in Portadown last week.

The Lurgan Choral Festival will be held (D. V.) at

Maralin on Saturday, May 27th. Seagoe Choir will

take part in it.

The Rev. T. W. E. Drury, Rector of Rostrevor,

will preach in the Parish Church on Wednesday,

May 17th.

PARISH REGISTER FOR APRIL.

Baptisms,

Baptized in Seagoe Parish Church on 1st April, 1916.

Moore—Hannah Jane, daughter of David and

Caroline Moore, of Kernan.

Sponsors—Mary Shanks, Caroline Moore.

Hynes—Florence, daughter of William James and

Jane Elin Hynes, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Sarah Anne Martin, Jane Eliza Hynes.

Sinnamon—Sarah, daughter of Henry (the late) and

Sarah Sinnamon, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Margaret Weir, Sarah Sinnamon.

Marriage.

Lamb and M'Nally—On 14th April, 1916, Wm.

Lamb, of Willowfield, Belfast, to Mary

M'Nally, of Edenderry.

Burials.

M 'Crory—April 12th, 1916, Mary M'Crory, of

Tarson, aged 80 years.

Steenson—April 29th, 1916, Isaac Steenson, of

Lower Se.agoe, aged 67 years.

Brown—Died, on April 4th, 1916, from

wounds received in action in France,

Private Robert Henry Brown, 1st Batt.

Royal Irish Fusiliers, of Edenderry, aged

27 years. For King and Country. "

Died of Wounds.

We deeply regret to record the death of another

brave and popular Seagoe soldier, Private Robert

Henry Brown. He died of wounds on April 4th in

France. He had been wounded in the leg during an

engagement and took shelter in a house. A shell

came through the roof and killed him and some

other wounded men. Private Brown leaves a widow

and four young children, with whom the greatest

sympathy is felt. He was very popular with his

comrades, and his grave is said to be the best kept

in France.

Two brothers of Private Brown have been

invalided from the army from wounds, and he had

himself only recently recovered from inj uries and

bruises sustained through being buried in the trench

by an exploding shell.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

floor-IPIan of 01b Seagoe Cburcb.

OLD SEAGOE CHURCH,

LEADING DATES.

1641—Destroyed during Rebellion.

1660—Rebuilt by Valentine Blacker.

1699—Belfry of Brick built.

1701—Porch of Stone added.

1702— Gallery erected and West Window made.

1705—Ministers'Vestry or Robing Room added.

1710—Sundial affxed to Southern Porch.

1755—Transept built.

1816—New Church Consecrated, Old Church

disused

1863 - Harmonium

1891 – New Chancel and aisle

1900 – Memorial Organ

tqoo

16

17

18

o

19

20

15

21

14

8

9

10

11

12

13

24

7

6

5

4

3

2

25

1

26

27

22

23

7. Mr. Thomas Newell, 1756.

8-12, " For the Parishioners in common."

Our readers will be glad to possess a Plan of Old

Seagoe Church, where their forefathers worshipped

30

28

29

PLAN OF GALLERY.

for many. generations up to

1816, exactly 100 years ago,

when the present Church

was completed. The Registers

and Records of Seagoe are so

full and correct that it has

been found possible not merely

to reconstruct the arrange-

ments of the old Church as in

the above plan, but also to

give the exact position of the

pews, with the names of those

who occupied them in the

17th and 18th centuries.

The numbers in the follow-

ing list correspond with the

numbers on the plan :—

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

The Manchester Pew, assigned to Sir Oliver St.

John and his heirs in 1683.

The Minister's Pew.

Mr. Woolsey Mathers, 1756.

Mr. Wm. Overend, 1756.

Mr. George Shepherd, 1756.

Mr. Wm. Dixon, 1756.

13.

14.

10.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21,

23.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

Anthony Medcalfe.

Robert Wilson, Arthur Jordens.

Thomas Bradshaw.

The Dressing or Robing Room.

Mr. William Robinson, 1752.

The Font (the one in use at present in Seagoe

Church).

The staircase leading to the gallery. The Sexton

when ringing the Bell stood on the staircase.

The Porch. Two steps led down from the Porch into

the Church. There was a sundial over the door.

John Burleigh.

22. John Watson, sen.

William Williams.

24. John Gibson.

The Pulpit and Reading Desk.

The Blacker Pew. The Manchester Pew and the

Blacker Pew had a post at each corner and

were curtained round.

The Communion Table.

John Mathers, 1702; William Mathers, 1720

Robert Blacker, 1731. (This seat was asserted

to be the Freehold of Killicomaine by Mere-

dith Workman in 1731) ; Wm. Robinson, 1764

July 30th, 1765. The " first seat" in the Gallery

was assigned for the use of the " Singing

Boys and Mr. Wm. Nuttle" (Lutton).

Top of Staircase.

[We hope to give further particulars regarding the

above Plan in an early issue.]